Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the West’s perception of China has shifted significantly, especially in Europe. China is no longer viewed as only an economic security threat but also as a hard security challenge.
Prior to 2022, China was primarily considered an economic threat, or at most a “soft” security issue. This meant that China could undermine Europe’s hard security indirectly, for example, by acquiring ownership of infrastructure such as ports and railways. This could hinder NATO’s military mobility and provide China with access to potentially sensitive data that could be exploited by Beijing and/or transferred to Russia.
The alignment between China and Russia, which became apparent in February 2022, has altered the West’s perception of China significantly. China is supporting Russia; this is a fact. Without China’s political, economic, technological and dual-use support, Russia would be unable to continue its war against Ukraine. Russia’s other political friends are unable to replace China.
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